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What is A VT?
Advanced V alvestate T echnology , or A VT for short, is a major step forward in hybrid amplifier design
which is exclusive to our Advanced V alvestate Series of amplifiers. It has evolved from the original,
critically acclaimed Marshall V alvestate technology , but is improved so that it emulates even more
closely the feel and response of the classic Marshall all-valve power stage...without using valves.
It is not only the power stage that has been significantly improved in the series either . Much careful
attention to detail and many hours of development have also gone into the preamp section too. As a
result, each A VT channel of fers the widest possible range of control and shape to your sound, with an
ECC83 (a.k.a.12AX7) preamp valve adding to the all-important tone and feel of these latest Marshall
creations.
V alve Drive Preamp
As just stated, each amp in the range boasts a preamp stage equipped with an ECC83 Dual T riode
valve. Drawing on our vast experience in this field, we have gone to great lengths to ensure that this
precious device delivers maximum sonic benefit at all settings and volume levels. As a result, the
clean sounds ring with the ‘bell-like’ harmonics that only a valve preamp can deliver and the break-up
is never harsh or unnatural sounding. Whenever an A VT Overdrive channel is selected the ECC83’ s
dual triode is saturated to its limit, providing the dynamics and feel worthy of a place in the Marshall
hall of fame.
P ower Amp Delivery
The same sort of toneful care and attention was also focused on the all-important power stages of the
A VT series too. Our goal was to ensure that each one would create the warm, musical feel and 3-
dimensional sounds that have made our all-valve power amps world renowned. In addition, these A VT
products were designed to deliver the goods in the often hostile and unpredictable environment of the
live performance stage - which is why all the A VT power amps, from the A VT50X upwards, are fan
cooled for optimum reliability .
'Extended Bass Response' Loudspeakers
Knowing how important the relationship between the amplifier and speaker is, this is another area
where we spent a great deal of time and effort when developing the A VT Series. By working extremely
closely with our long-term colleagues at Celestion Loudspeakers, we have successfully developed a
range of speakers which, through radical design, re-define the state-of-the-art in rock guitar
reproduction. In a nutshell, they allow the compact closed back cabinets used in the A VT range, to
maintain the bottom end delivery normally only associated with a full 4 x12 cabinet set-up.
DFX Onboard
At Marshall our aim is to create products that offer our fellow guitarists true inspiration in the practice
and performance of their art. When integrating DFX (Digital Effects) into the tonal topology of A VT , the
greatest care was taken to ensure that the highest level of signal integrity was maintained. Through
careful shaping and mixing of the ‘wet’ (processed) and ‘dry’ (unprocessed) signals, we have ensured
that the onboard effects enhance your tone while adding none of the nasty , artificial ‘grain’ often
associated with DFX. Different ef fect types can be assigned to the Clean and Overdrive channels and
can, of course, be turned on and off via the sturdy 6-way LED foot controller supplied with your amp.
I. The Preamp Section
Y our A VT amp boasts no fewer than four
channels: Acoustic Simulator , Clean, Overdrive
1 and Overdrive 2. The preamp section is where
the gain, tone and relative volume of these four
channels is determined.
1. Input Jack Soc ket
This is where you plug your guitar into the amp.
Y ou must always use a screened (shielded)
guitar cable and never use an unscreened
(unshielded) speaker cable. Also, this cable
should be one of good quality . If you are in any
doubt regarding this, your Marshall dealer will be
more than happy to help and advise you.
2. Acoustic Sim. Channel Selector Switch
Allows selection of the Acoustic Simulator
channel via the front panel.
3. T op Contr ol
This control takes the channel’s sound from a
mellow , acoustic tone (similar to a microphone
placed towards the neck of the instrument) all
the way to a bright, piezo-like acoustic sound
and all points in-between.
Note: The amp’ s Master Presence control (21)
affords you further adjustment of the high end.
4. Body Switch
This changes the ‘body resonance’ simulation of
the channel from that of a regular sized, steel-
string acoustic (switch ‘out’) to that of a large
bodied, ‘Jumbo’ acoustic (switch ‘in’).
5. V olume Control
This dictates how loud the Acoustic Simulator
Channel will be.
6. Clean Channel Selector Switch
This allows selection of the Clean channel via
the front panel.
7. Clean Channel Gain Control
This rotary control regulates the drive into the
two cascaded valve stages of the preamp.
Lower settings will give you a wide range of well
defined, warm clean tones.
At higher Gain settings you will pass through
natural, valve-induced compression and into an
increased level of desirable ‘break-up’ (a.k.a.
‘crunch’) which is perfect for subtly overdriven
blues/rock.
8. Bright Switch
Most of the Gain controls in classic Marshall
amps have been fitted with what is known as a
‘treble bleed capacitor ’. This device allows extra
high frequencies to be ‘bled’ through to the drive
section when the Gain control is at low settings.
Engaging the Bright Switch will ‘bleed’ extra high
frequencies into the drive stage of the Clean
channel, giving you a bright, clean tone perfect
for many styles, including funk and country .
The higher the Gain control is set, the less effect
the ‘treble bleed capacitor ’ has. As a result, at
maximum Gain settings, the bright switch will
have no audible effect at all.
9. Clean V olume Control
As its name suggests, this control determines
the volume of the clean channel. The actual
setting you choose will be dependent on how
loud you want the channel to be, and also on
the type of sound you have selected on the pre-
amp. Due to the remarkable realism of our
Advanced V alvestate T echnology , once the
V olume control is turned-up past a certain point
the preamp will start to push the power amp
section into creating its own, desirable distortion
- just like an all-valve Marshall amp. When this
occurs, the A VT’ s power amp will start to add
musical harmonics, compression and ‘break-up’
into your sound.
Note: As each channel has its own volume
control, you can easily balance the levels of all
four channels as you so desire. Once set to your
satisfaction, these controls can be left alone and
you can use the amp’s Master V olume knob (20)
to set your overall volume level.
10. Clean T one Controls
The Clean channel is equipped with rotary Bass,
Middle, and T reble controls. These three passive
EQ controls are designed to achieve maximum
tonal variation from your A VT amplifier and, just
like the tone controls on our famous all-valve
amps, are highly inter-dependent on each other .
As a result, the way each one functions depends
on the exact position of the other two controls.
This is especially true of the Bass and T reble
controls in relation to the Middle control. As you
will discover , the lower the Middle control is set,
the more ‘reactive’ the others become.
As tone is very much down to personal taste,
experimentation and experience is probably the
best way of learning how these three controls
A VT150X & A VT150HX Front P anel FeaturesIntroduction
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